The CloudShift guide to Artificial Intelligence.

June 28, 2017

AI. A very hot topic in the world of Tech at the moment with some huge developments being made. At the Salesforce Tour event in London, we were introduced to the new Salesforce service Einstein. Einstein is AI, for Salesforce.

So just what is AI?

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence in practice, relates to computer systems undertaking tasks that are usually carried out by humans. Whilst we don’t necessarily mean that computers are about to do the weekly shop for us, the following items are most certainly on the AI agenda;

Once integrated, Einstein acts as your personal data scientist. Essentially, using your data it allows you to prioritise your top leads and opportunities, resulting in more sales, a better customer experience and a more efficient use of team time.

Using your data, Einstein can diagnose, predict and take action in an automated manner, monitoring trends to ensure that you’re always one step ahead of the game, both Pre and Post sale. Rather than using the trial and error method, the AI technology can ensure that the right content is delivered to the right audience, at the right time and on the right channel, creating a seamless customer experience.

AI as a concept is in its early stages. However, this year the UK Government announced that the budget for 2017 would contain a pot of £270million for robotics, to enable the development process to speed up and really take shape. The integration of AI into our society is being hailed as the ‘Digitalisation Revolution’.
So how can it help us in our daily lives?

Short term, the primary objective of AI is to enable us to deliver greater productivity within our working environment. In turn this could increase revenue streams, allowing an increase in wages, which in turn could greatly improve people’s living standards.

As touched upon at the Salesforce Tour, the issue has attracted its fair share of controversy. Some fear it could harm the need for humans in many a role, which in turn could have the very opposite effect to the above. However, many argue that the AI we see now is really a very intelligent form of automation, rather than the Deep AI ‘rise of machines’ image that some may dread.
Also, many believe that AI would actually remove the tedious and mundane jobs that some have to suffer, allowing them to begin more exciting and fulfilling careers and therefore improving their quality of life.

Either way, AI is a concept that is sure to be here to stay. Don’t get left behind.